1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for connecting an electric apparatus, such as a camera apparatus for vehicle, to other wirings.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 10 shows a related art for connecting a vehicle mounting camera apparatus to another controller or power supply.
In FIG. 10, a vehicle mounting camera apparatus 510 has an image pickup element mounted therein and at the same time has a substrate 512 forming a power supply circuit or signal processing circuit accommodated in a case body 511. In addition, the vehicle mounting camera apparatus 510 is connected to another controller or power supply through a harness 520 in the apparatus side and a harness 530 in the car side.
The harness 530 in the car side has its one end connected to another controller or power supply, and has the other end thereof connected to the connecting connector 532 in the apparatus side. In general, the harness 530 in the car side is configured by a group of electric wires 530a each having a relatively large diameter.
The harness 520 in the apparatus side has its one end connected to a connected connector 522 in the apparatus side, and the harness 520 in the apparatus side is connected to the harness 530 in the car side through interconnection of the connected connector 522 in the apparatus side and the connecting connector 532 in the apparatus side. In addition, the harness 520 in the apparatus side has the other end connected to a connecting connector 524 in the substrate side, the harness 520 in the apparatus side is connected to the substrate 512 through interconnection of the connecting connector 524 in the substrate side and a connector 513 provided on the substrate 512.
Further, in the harness 520 in the apparatus side, a portion at the harness 530 in the car side becomes a first harness portion 521 in the apparatus side which is configured by a group of electric wires 521a each having a relatively large diameter, and a portion at the substrate 512 becomes a second harness portion 523 in the apparatus side which is configured by a group of electric wires 523a each having a relatively small diameter. In addition, the first harness portion 521 in the apparatus side and the second harness portion 523 in the apparatus side are interconnected through a connecting portion 525.
Here, the harness 520 in the apparatus side is configured by the first harness portion 521 in the apparatus side and the second harness portion 523 in the apparatus side.
The connector 513 formed on the substrate 512 is extremely compact so that it is necessary that the connecting connector 524 in the substrate side connected to the connector 513 be compact as well in accordance with the compactness of the connector. In this case, it is also necessary that an electric wire connected to an individual connector terminal of the connecting connector 524 in the substrate side have a relatively small diameter. Therefore, it is necessary that a portion at the substrate 512 in the harness 520 in the apparatus side use the second harness portion 523 in the apparatus side configured by a group of the plurality of electric wires 523a each having a relatively small diameter.
On the other hand, the harness 530 in the car side provided over a long path at the car side is configured by a group of electric wires 530a each having a relatively large diameter, whereby it is necessary that the connecting connector 532 in the apparatus side connected to the end portion of the harness 530 in the car side have a large size in accordance with the size the harness in the car side. In this case, it is also necessary that the connected connector 522 in the apparatus side connected to the connecting connector 532 in the apparatus side have a large size. Furthermore, it is necessary that the electric wires connected to the individual connector terminals of the large-sized connected connector 522 in the apparatus side use electric wires each having relatively large diameters. Therefore, it is necessary that a portion at the harness 530 in the car side in the harness 520 in the apparatus side use the first harness portion 521 in the apparatus side configured by a group of electric wires 521a each having a relatively large diameter.
For this reason, it is preferable that the harness 520 in the apparatus side be configured by the first harness portion 521 in the apparatus side and the second harness portion 523 in the apparatus side.
Further, the connecting portion 525 is disposed at the outside of the case body 511, whereby it is necessary that the connecting portion 525 be waterproofed. There is a technology in which connection portions between electric wires are covered with a thermal contracting tube and an outer circumference of the thermal contracting tube is sealed with an epoxy resin, as a construction for allowing the connection portions between the electric wires to be waterproofed or for air ventilating, as shown in JP-A-2002-359017.
In addition, according to the related art, the connecting connector 524 in the substrate side is connected to the connector 513 located at the substrate 512, and the harness 520 in the apparatus side is drawn out the exterior of the case body 511 through a drawing-out hole formed in the case body 511. In addition, in the drawing-out hole, a grommet 528 made from rubber is provided between a circumferential edge of the drawing-out hole and the harness 520 in the apparatus side, so that it is possible to prevent the water from getting into the case body 511. In addition, at the outside of the case body 511, the connecting connector 532 in the apparatus side and the connected connector 522 in the apparatus side are interconnected, so that the harness 520 in the apparatus side and the harness 530 in the car side are interconnected.